BIS India
NEPAL, July 1, 2008: Fr. Johnson Moyalan, a 60 year old Salesian Priest of the Province of Kolkata was murdered at Sirsia (Nepal) in the wee hours of this morning by a group of men, presumably dacoits. The tragedy struck the quiet Mission of the Salesians at Sirsia, about 15 kms from the Indo-Nepal border, at about 1.00 am. A group of 4 to 5 armed men intruded into the Mission premises and forced the watchman to take them to the Presbytery. Hearing the commotion, the newly arrived Assistant Parish Priest, Fr. Mathew Puthuppallil, came out of his room. Seeing the armed men he withdrew into his room and started calling for help on his mobile phone. The armed men meanwhile broke open the grill and locked Fr. Mathew in his room from the outside. They proceeded to Fr. Johnson Moyalan`s room. He too opened his door hearing the commotion and the men entered his room. What transpired in the room is any
one’s guess. The men left the place after about 15 minutes, throwing a couple of bombs. Once the attackers had run away, some residents from nearby came over and freed Fr. Mathew from his room. When they went to Fr. Moylan’s room they were shocked to see him lying lifeless on the floor in a pool of blood. He had received two gun shots - one on the chest and the other in the stomach. Fr. Mathew immediately informed his confreres in Kolkata about the tragedy, and the Police at Dharan, about 45 kms from Sirsia, were also contacted. The police were able to come only in the morning hours for investigation. The motive for the killing is yet to be ascertained.
Fr. Johnson Moylan was an enthusiastic and active Salesian engaged in the socio-pastoral works of Sirsia, under the Dharan Community in Nepal. He was born at Ollur, Kerala, in 1948, and became a Salesian in 1967. He was ordained a priest for the Province of Bangalore in 1977. For many years he ministered as an Assistant parish Priest in different parts of Andhra Pradesh. After the division of the Bangalore Province he became a member of Hyderabad Salesian Province. From 1986 to 1994 he served as Rector in different houses: Pezzonipet, Cudappa and Hyderabad. In 1996 he came to Nepal and began ministry in Dharan, and later in Sirsia from 2000.
The Sirsia mission was officially started in 2000. The Salesians have a Primary School there catering to the poor children of the locality. There is also a newly established Parish to take care of the many catholic families of the area. The people whom the Salesians serve are mostly Santhals and low caste Hindus, who are in dire need of education and over all development.
As an able Project Coordinator, Fr. Johnson had lots of development works being carried out in Sirsia and its neighbourhoods which have benefited thousands of poor folk of the locality. He was deeply engaged in further expansion of the social works when his life was snuffed out in a violent and untimely manner. The funeral will take place in Bandel basilica in a few days time once the body has been brought down to Kolkata from Nepal.